Mind Blowing Entertainment’s My Melbourne (English-Bengali-Hindi-Dari-Auslan; UA) comprises four segments, each directed by a different filmmaker. The four segments address themes relating to the LGBTQIA community, disability, gender and race. The segments are titled Emma, Nandini, Jules, and Setara.
Emma is directed by Rima Das and co-directed by Samira Cox. It tells the story of Emma (Ryanna Skye Lawson) who is a talented dancer in her early twenties. She is suffering from Usher’s Syndrome which is gradually affecting her hearing. Emma has now to struggle with discrimination in the dance industry. Although she is supported by her mother, Susan (Mikhaela Ebony), and friends like Jai (Jordan Shome), she doubts about her future till she meets Nathan (Nathan Borg), a successful deaf dancer.
Nandini is directed by Onir and co-directed by William Duan. It follows the emotional reunion of Indraneel (Arka Das), a queer Indian man, and his estranged father, Mihir (Mouli Ganguly). After having been separated for years, the two come together in Melbourne for the asthi visarjan (ash-scattering) ceremony for Indraneel’s deceased mother.
Jules is directed by Arif Ali, with Imtiaz Ali as the creative director, and Tammy Yang as the co-director. It is the story of the unlikely friendship between Sakshi (Arushi Sharma), a newly-wed food blogger, and Jules (Kat Stewart), a homeless woman in Melbourne. Both the ladies, dealing with feelings of displacement, form a bond as they navigate their respective struggles.
Setara is directed by Kabir Khan and co-directed by Puneet Gulati. It is the story of Setara (Setara Amiri), a 15-year-old Afghan refugee who relocates to Melbourne with her mother and sister after fleeing the Taliban. Even as they cope with their traumatic past, Setara experiences a sense of belonging through cricket, which helps her rebuild her life in a new country.
All the four stories have class appeal rather than mass appeal. They are also depressing. Nazifa Amir, Shivangi Bhowmick, Samira Cox, Monique Nair, William Duan, Gregory Francis and Arif Ali have written human dramas but, as mentioned above, they all lack universal appeal. The screenplays move at a leisurely pace. Dialogues are appropriate, but since there are several languages used, the audience will not be able to comprehend lot many of them without reading the subtitles.
Performances range from average to very good. Ryanna Skye Lawson (as Emma), Kat Stewart (as Jules), Jake Ryan (as chef Leon), Arushi Sharma (as Sakshi), Jackson Gallagher (as Chris), Arka Das (as Indraneel), Nikolai Egal (as officer Brad), Nathan Borg (as Nathan), Ximena Diaz (as the teacher), Caitlyn Dickson (as Natalie), Daniel McBurnie (as the cricket umpire), Setara Amiri (as Setara), Siem Putland (as the trendy teenager), Jordan Shome (as Jai), Mikhaela Ebony (as Emma’s mother, Susan), Brad Hodge (as the coach), Sepideh Falleh (as Latifa), Ella Wilson (as Asia), Mouli Ganguly (as Mihir) and Daisy Calnin (as Holly) are the actors in the four segments.
Direction is sensitive. Music (by Tamil Rogeon and Anurag Sharma) is okay. Camerawork (Brad Francis) is very good. Editing (by Rima Das, Irene Dhar Malik and Mitesh Soni) is suitably sharp.
On the whole, My Melbourne does not have a chance at the turnstiles.
Released on 14-3-’25 at Inox (daily 1 show) and other cinemas of Bombay thru PVR Inox Pictures. Publicity & opening: weak. …….Also released all over. Opening was poor everywhere.